First Independent Bank to donate $415,000 in local COVID-19 support

RENO, Nev. — First Independent Bank on May 11 announced it is committing more than $415,000 to help mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on local communities across Nevada.

According to a press release from the bank, contributions will help address shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) for first responders, address food insecurity, and fund meal delivery for individuals and families in need, among other efforts.

The $415,000 for Nevada is part of an overall contribution of $2 million from Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL), the Phoenix-based parent company of First Independent Bank, for needs in Nevada, Arizona and California.

According to the press release, the $415,000 donation encompasses all support given to organizations within the state of Nevada on behalf of First Independent Bank and Bank of Nevada.

“As our community comes together to meet today's extraordinary needs, First Independent Bank is pleased to help our neighbors and friends through the work of several outstanding initiatives and nonprofits that are addressing immediate needs and longer-term support for community resilience,” Jim DeVolld, Managing Director of First Independent Bank in Reno, said in a statement.

Specific to Northern Nevada, funded organizations include:

• The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, supported by the Nevada COVID-19 Response, Relief and Recovery Task Force in partnership with Nevada Community Foundation, aids first responders and healthcare providers, supporting Nevada's response, relief and recovery efforts.
• Food Bank of Northern Nevada, which serves more than 100,000 people in the region each month.
• Delivering with Dignity, an initiative of the Moonridge Foundation, which recently laucnhed in Reno-Sparks to provide high-quality meal delivery for individuals and families in need.

“Our communities face unprecedented health and economic challenges from the coronavirus,” Kenneth Vecchione, president/CEO of Western Alliance Bank, said in a statement. “We are a people-first organization, and that we are able to help others — from firefighters and front-line healthcare workers to small businesses and hungry families who need support right now — is meaningful to all of us.”

According to the press release, the bank's $2 million commitment “also supports longer-term efforts to strengthen communities and create resilience for low- and moderate-income families, including programs to prevent homelessness, provide continuum of care, and bolster affordable housing and economic development.”